Hubert



(No Model.)

H. P. RICHARDS. SUSPENDER BUCKLE};

No. 476,172, Patented May 31, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBERT P. RICHARDS, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRAUT d HINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SUSPENDER-BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,172, dated May 31, 1892.

Application filed August 17 1891. Serial No. 402,936. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern.- 4 lower ends to form the hook H, whereon the Be it known that I, I-IUBERT P. RICHARDS, usual cast-off ring of asuspender maybe supa citizen of the United States, residing at New ported, the oppositely-extending arms or bars Britain, in the county of Hartford and State 12 and 14 of the sides 11 and 13, respectively, 5 of Connecticut, have invented certain new and together forming a clamp-bar, (designated in a 5 5 useful Improvements in Suspender-Buckles, general way by E,) and the downwardly-proof which the following is a specification. jec ing bearing-arms S and (sometimes This invention relates to that class of susconnected to the clamp-bar by the intermepender-buckles in which the web-clamping diate portions 17 and 18, respectively,) which 10 lever is usually pivotally supported at the at their lower endshave suitably-formed eyes lower side of the frame, the object being to that close overthe lowerportion of the frame, furnish a buckle of that class in which the whereby the lever is pivotally supported on clamp-lever shall be normally held closed by the frame. means of a cam acting upon said lever. In the form of buckle shown in Figs. 1, 2, I5 In the drawings accompanying and formand 3 the clamp-lever is supposed to be conu, ing a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a structed integral and to consist of a suitfront view of a grip-back buckle embodying able casting-as, for instance,light malleable my present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical ironof substantially the form illustrated. sectional view of the buckle in line a a, Fig. It may also in some cases, if desired, be

20 l, the clamp-lever being shown closed. Fig. formed of suitable sheet metal properly 7o 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the stamped into the required shape. Said clamp-lever opened. Fig. 4.- is a front View, clamp-lever consists of the clamp-bar E, carand Fig. 5 an edge view, of the buckle-frame. rying at the ends thereof the bearing-arms 7 Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a modified and 9, which terminate in the eyes 8 and 10,

25 construction of the buckle. Fig.7 illustrates respectively journaled on the lower bar 3 of a modified construction of the frame-cam of the buckle-frame, and the depending leverthe buckle. arm L, extending below the buckle-frame and Similar characters designate like parts in having at its lower end means for carry ngall the figures. the suspender-end. As herein shown and de- 30 The improved buckleherein shown consists scribed, said suspender-end-carrying means of a buckle-frame provided with the usual consists of the ordinary hook 11, formed on web-engaging back plate or grip-back for supthe lever L at the lower end thereof in a wellporting and engaging the Suspender-web and known manner.

a clamp-leverpivotallysupported on the frame The buckle-frame consists, essentially, of a 35 below the back plate thereof. The clampsuitable back plate, as P, usually furnished lever is or maybe of the general construction on its upper edge with a rib or with the fordescribed in the prior Letters Patent of the wardly-projecting teeth 16 for engaging the United States, No. 451,840, granted to George web (not shown) of the Suspender in a well- B. Pilkington May 5, 1891, said clamp-lever, known manner, and a lower bar 3 for carry- 0 as shown in said patent, being formed of a ing' the clamp-lever, which lower bar is consingle piece of wire bent to the required shape. nected to the ends of the back plate by means This form of wire clamp-lever is also shown of the two side bars 2 and 4. Said lower bar in Fig. 6 of the drawings of this specification. midway of the length thereofis provided with The clamp-lever may, however, be formed of the cam-like portion 5, which I designate as 5 a piece of sheet metal or of alight casting, as the frame-cam and which projects a short illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of this specificadistance, substantially as shown, from theline tion. When said lever is constructed of wire, of the lower bar 3. This cam or lever-engagas described in the aforesaid, Letters Patent, ing arm bears against a suitably-formed porit consists of a lever-arm L, comprising two tion 6 of the clamp-lever arm L, which por- 5o sides 11 and 13, which are shaped at their tion 6 (properlydesignated as the cam-bear- IOO ing) on the swinging movement of the leverarm coacts with said part 5, after the manner of a cam, to resist said opening movement and thus furnish the means for normally and yieldingly holding the clamp -lever in the closed position illustrated in Fig. 2. The degree of said resistance may be regulated by properly graduating the proportions of cam 5 and the cam-bearing 6.

The opening movement of the clam p-lever from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 acts to spring or distort the lever, as will be understood by comparison of the positions in said figure of said lever relatively to the bearing-arm 7, which arm, together with the end portions of the clamp-bar E, constitute in effect torsion-springs for maintaining the proper action of the buckle and in connection with said cam-arm 5 to yieldingly lock the clamp-lever closed.

The operation of my improved buckle will be understood from the drawings, in connection with the preceding description. When the buckle is opened,as in Fig. 3, the-suspender-Web may be slipped into place in the usual manner and held therein by closing the clamp-bar to the position shown in Fig. 2. When it is required to release the web, the user, seizing the lever L, forcibly swings the said lever from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which latter position said frame-cam stands in substantially its dead-center position, wherein it will remain until further moved by hand or closed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a grip-back buckle, the combination, with a buckle-frame, substantially as described, having in the lower bar thereof the frame-cam 5, of a buckle-lever, substantially as described, journaled on said lower bar and having a grip-bar and alever-arm constructed with a cam-bearing coacting with said framecam for closing the lever, substantially as set forth.

2. In a grip-back buckle, the combination, 7 

